AUBURN – The Child Health Center’s ProtectME program and the Maine Coalition for SAFE KIDS will offer free child passenger safety seat checks from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 12, at the Androscoggin County Child Passenger Safety Fitting Station at the Auburn Police Department.

Certified child passenger safety technicians from Central Maine Medical Center and the Maine Coalition for SAFE KIDS will be available to conduct inspections of children’s car seats to make sure they are being used properly.

Suzanne Cook, state coordinator for the coalition, said, “In Maine, 90 percent of children’s car seats are not being used properly. When correctly installed and fitted, a child safety seat reduces the need for hospitalization in children ages birth to 4 years by 69 percent and it decreases the risk of death by 71 percent in infants and 54 percent in ages 1 to 4.

“However when mistakes are made in the installation of the seat or children are improperly restrained, they are not as protected as they would be if the seat was used correctly.”

Cook said on March 10 seats were inspected and none were correctly installed.

The fitting station is open the second Monday of every month from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Auburn Police Department. No appointment is needed. For more information, contact the Child Health Center, 782-5437, or the coalition, 1-800-649-1304.